Which Backpacking Shelter is the BEST 

Sorry this was so late! RU-vid wouldn't process the video for some reason! Here are the time stamps: 00:31 Tents (Pros and Cons) 02:19 What I Look for 04:19 Freestanding 05:22 Semi-Freestanding 06:07 Non-Freestanding 07:05 Double Wall 09:48 Single Wall 11:32 Footprints/Ground Sheet 12:33 Stakes 13:42 Tarps (Pros and Cons) 15:52 Poncho Tarps 16:45 Bivys (Pros and Cons) 18:24 Hammocks (Pros and Cons) 19:47 Components 21:38 Quick Summary

Attention side-sleepers: something I learned in the boy scouts a gazzillion years ago was to scoop out a hollow under where your hip will be. I haven't seen this mentioned on any youtube videos that I have watched, and it's probably less effective with an inflatable pad, but it is something to consider to make your sleep on hard ground a bit more comfortable, maybe.

Long time hiker here and one thing about hammocks they are addictive the first time I used one on a boy scout weekend trip when I was 13 I spent the rest of the summer trying to figure out how I was going to set it up in my bed room at home and now at 40 I still use a hammock everytime I go out

I'm a ADV motorcyclist and this is some of the most useful camping information channel I have found.

I'm a free-standing double-walled tent gal. I like the sturdiness of them, the warmth when it's cold, the stars when it's fine, and how lightweight they've become. As well, nowadays, most double walled tents can be set up with the fly and stakes or a footprint, then the inner tent is put up from the inside so it never gets wet. Or, in the case of my 4-year old Mira Exped ii, and many others, the fly and inner tent can be kept connected on take-down and set up as one, thereby also negating the wet floor issues of setting up in rain.

I use a hammock and just wanted to add that I use a slightly modified clear shower curtain as a rainfly/tarp. It keeps me dry but offers the luxury of seeing the stars and nature around me!

If it’s pouring rain💦, with most freestanding double wall tents🏕, you can set up the fly (outer wall) first. It takes a little longer to clip the inner onto the poles from the inside, but at least your inner wall stays completely dry. Love 💕 your videos Dixie, keep them coming. I’m watching from Australia 🇦🇺. 👍🏻

My friend sold me his very expensive, light weight double wall tent & I used it while travelling around the world for several years, I didn't realise till the end of my travels that you could separate the inside & outside!! Ahahahah Dixie talking about the inside section getting wet while attaching the outer shel & I'm laughing at my stupidity all those years, would have been cooler in India if I had taken off the outer shell, well mine came from my friend set up like that and I always packed it, unpacked & set it up as a single unit!! I loved that tent, single person tent that managed at a stretch to accommodate me, another girl & our 2 backpacks while hitchhiking around New Zealand - Huge Vestabule. It even survived a morning hungry duck attack!

Shug Emery’s RU-vid channel is also a good hammock resource. Plus he’s a hoot to watch.

I’ve been a backpacker for over 30 yrs. Yes it was a lot of info, but you presented it extremely clearly and thoroughly. I always like to see others takes on stuff, and being a packer from the 80’s I always try to stay up on the lighter materials, especially as I get older. 😁

I love spreading out and having the den feeling in my tent! I can definitely be a home body at times, and it was nice to have that settling into my home feeling on trail.

Good to see the video, wondered if you were safe. That was terrible yesterday in Beauregard. Hope all your people were all right. We're down here in Montgomery. War Eagle!

I ride mountain bikes in the desert and "camp" in the car. I stumbled on this video and learned so much that I may get and use a tent. BTW, the video is extremely well done and edited. Thanks for caring enough to do a good video.

Don't forget about shugemery for hammock camping know-how He's been a pervasive advocate for the hammock way of life

I use a hammock with a bug net and a rainfly when its warm, and a double-wall tent with an inflatable mattress and sleeping bag when its cold. A cheap blue polytarp makes a great footprint. I tuck the edges under. I don't understand why so much of the camping community can only use one system for all situations. Why not both?

Good to see you made it through the nasty weather. I hope your family/friends/loved ones are well. Thanks for the video.

Thank you Dixie. That was an absolutely fantastic breakdown of the different shelter types along with the pros and cons of each. I really think this is going to be a great series and I appreciate you doing it.

Perk's beard releases heat. science.

Thanks Dixie, good info. Glad to hear you are ok from the storms.

I'm so happy you're doing a series like this. It's also very clear how much effort you're putting into it. Love u!!

Thank you Dixie, being a beginner backpacker, I found this video very helpful.😁😁

IF YOU ARE SLEEPING IN A HAMMOCK READ THIS!!!! Before you take any chances, buy some good, long hammock straps, don’t use rope, if it rains when you are sleeping in your hammock the water will run down the tree, follow your ropes, and soak you. This happened to me in the summer last year in boundary waters, rainy, cooler night, I woke up at three a.m. cold wet and miserable, I was lucky that one of my friends who was with me let me in his two person tent, otherwise it could have been a lot worse.

Umm...Most of us hammock campers do use a good tarp. DCF tarps and hexon 1.0 make for an exceptionally light setup. Ultimate hang is good, look at Shug's videos, and go look at the gear by Jared at Simply Light Designs. Jared will walk you through whatever you might need (he makes good stuff and gets it to you lightening fast too). Dutch over at Dutchware is a wealth of knowledge and resources too. You can lighten your hammock setup just the same as tent camping by paying a lot of attention to your sleep gear and getting better quality down or by having different summer/winter configurations (you don't always need a 20 degree underquilt). Shug also has a video about how to side-sleep in a hammock. Side-sleepers might consider a bridge hammock or another style that uses a spreader bar. Personally I find that sleeping at a 30 degree angle or a little more in a standard gathered end hammock lets me sleep on my side (so does extremely cold conditions if you consider the fetal position a form of side-sleeping, but I do that in a tent too). Hammock camping takes a little dedication and a willingness to experiment with styles and setups but once you get it dialed in...nothing beats it. Oh, and you can take most hammocks to the ground and use trekking poles for the tarp if you have to...and if you are also using a winter/summer sock or bug net the hammock is just like a bivy under a tarp. Only draw back to taking a tarp to the ground is that most hammock campers seldom bring a sleeping pad, but if you know your going to spend time on the ground you can plan ahead. Also, you don't always have to use trees...2 cars that won't be moving, 2 posts or signs, under a bridge, 2 big rocks (that also will not be moving), a swing set all work... NOT cacti though (you can, but if you damage them, depending on the type, you can be in a lot of trouble)...so yeah, after a while you'll be surprised at the solutions you can come up with for hanging a hammock.

I love my Hennessy hammock tent we used them in the military and I loved it than and now

Most useful run through I've come across! Always used tents but decided on an alternative for this season. Thank you!

Excellent summary of the options - Thank you. Remember, you are NOT limited to tree areas with a hammock. Using rock climbing protection (stoppers/hexes, etc.) you can use cracks in boulders for support anchors. Also, let's say you'll be in trees for 5 days but open fields for 2. On those 2 treeless days, you can put a ground sheet down and your hammock on top of that. Use your hiking poles to support your tarp and you can tie the (built into the hammock) bug net to the hiking poles to keep it off your face. Sure - not as comfortable as in the air. But it allows you to mostly use the hammock as intended and still have shelter for the few days you can't. For privacy, you can stake your tarp low/close to the hammock and change with the hammock between you an any public. Without focusing on "ultra-lite" options, given the weight of components, the hammock is about as heavy as a tent setup but so much more comfortable. A good resource is www.hammockforums.net Remember, you get a flat lie by turning slightly diagonal; not making the hammock tighter. I like the first edition of Ultimate Hang a little better because it is much smaller/lighter so easier to carry in the field if you want printed reminders while learning. The second edition is good for a home reference. Thank you for giving hammocks another chance. Cougarmeat.

Great overview, Dixie! Personally, I favor a hammock for myself in the backcountry. When I first got into hammocking I got an all-in-one system from Hennessy Hammock. After a while using that, I realized that silnylon wasn't the best shelter/tarp material in wet weather, and I needed a longer hammock to be a bit more comfortable. So, I switched to a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC, and got a few specialty bits and pieces for it such as a cuben fiber tarp from Hammock Gear, "spider web" tree huggers, and a ridgeline and suspension system from Dutchware Gear. I still really enjoy my hammock, and plan to use it on the Benton MacKaye trail in a couple of weeks, as well as on the JMT this year (if I can get a permit!). However, despite the superior comfort, I have noticed 3 major downsides. Despite my best efforts to get the lightest gear money can buy, a complete hammock setup is going to be heavier than a comparable tent or tarp setup. As you mentioned, you also need suitable trees, and while this isn't a problem on the AT, it can be an issue on other trails, meaning you may need a second shelter system for use on other trips. Finally, setting up a hammock properly takes skill and time. Even with practice it can take me 20-40 minutes to get everything setup just right, plus 15-20 minutes to take down and pack, and that may be a lot more time than most people are willing to put into their shelter each day. I still use a 2-person tent with my wife when we go camping together - a Big Agnes HV UL 2 - but tents definitely aren't my favorite when hiking solo. The main issues I have are sleeping on the lumpy ground, the awkwardness of an inflatable pad, competition for great sites, risk of flooding in really wet weather, and how filthy the outside can get. Bottom line: there's no perfect shelter.

It's GREAT! to hear your are still open to trying a hammock. Looking forward to hearing your opinion on this topic.

so excited for this series!! thanks for all your work and dedication to putting this kind of info out there - you’re the best dixie!!

Love the way you call the poncho tarp the extreme end... I've been camping with with a poncho for over 20 years and has always been my favorite camping set up. Never realized it was extreme, just though it was normal ;-p

One thing I love about tarps is all the room they provide. I have recently started using an oversized tarp in addition to my tent when I'm not as constrained by weight.

Thanks for the advice! We’re shopping for tents for our summer trip right now and this has a great run down on general features and terms, and things to consider.

Thank you for making all these videos.I work in a camping and hiking store in Australia and have learnt a lot since I've subscribed to your channel.

Great to hear you are thinking about trying a hammock again! I love being outside camping but I was really tired of waking up in a tent with a sore and stiff back every morning. So when I saw some other scout leaders using hammocks a few years ago I decided to start doing some research. The most common thing I was reading, when I first started researching, was how comfortable people were sleeping. So I took the plunge and bought a Hennessy Jungle Explorer Asym Zip. Wow was it ever an amazing sleep! I went from tossing and turning, trying to get comfortable and waking up tired to sleeping 10-11 hours a night and waking up very rested. I now have three hammocks for myself and family. I have added a Hennessy Cub (for the kids) and most recently a Dutchware Chameleon. Hennessy is a great starting point for hammock noobs because of their all in one hammock kits. They also have a wide range of hammocks for everyone's needs (ultralight to heavier double bottom hammocks). I now love the Chameleon for its modular nature. You can get just what you need to get started or buy everything for it and be set up for all the seasons and possible weather that mother nature can throw at you. Don't for forget to get an underquilt (like the Hammock Gear Incubator) for backside warmth. If you go with the Chameleon you will also need to get a tarp. There are many options for tarps all depending on how much coverage you want and how light you want it. You can even get tarps with doors for bad weather and privacy! Well I hope you enjoy the hammock this time and don't forget to check out Shug's videos for all hammock info.

Great video, I just want to give a bit of advice on using a tarp, being a long time tarp guy. If you use bungees (connect the ends into the ring/hole/whatever it's called, and just wrap the middle around a tree or something), you can set up the whole thing in a matter a couple of minutes, and it eases the need for a bunch of knots. Although there are some drawbacks (you can't do it on plains, in high winds it will move more than if you use a rope, etc.), I'd say it's a good way to start if you've never used a tarp before. I thought that I'd just give something I learned along the way. Also, it's sinfully easy to pack it up if you want to head out at before dawn, since you don't have to untie anything, just watch out so the bungees don't take out your eye ;).

Thank you so much for your time posting these videos. They’re all so informative!! 🙏👍🤓

Congratulations on an amazing channel! Starting to learn about trekking and absolutely loving it, very informative and well presented!

Have you heard of a Tentsile tent? It is a hammock style tent that you suspend from trees, but it has ratchet straps to tighten it up so that you are sleeping in a flat suspension hammock type thing. It is very comfortable, and you can sleep off the ground, but you're still sleeping in the relatively flat space. I have one and I highly recommend them.

Thanks for the overview, quite thoroughly! Especially on the tarp+bivi part. Not a lot of people get that right. They only think of either a tarp, *OR* a bivi. Not about a tarp *AND* a bivi, like you’ve mentioned. Which ultimately works better against mosquitoes, moisture and wind. Also, you’ve got some impressive hair. And for a non-native English speaker that I am, I like that accent!

You're description was so helpful I wish other youtubers were this professional about their content.

As always, a wonderful video Dixie. Informed, experienced people are always interesting and informative to listen to. Thanks

My favorite backpack tent so far for solo hiking is the Snugpak Ionosphere. It's a mix between a bivi, and a tent. It's great for cowboy camping.

Dixie (J.) I'm praying for you and your community because of the devastation from the storms and I hope that it'll be a quick recovery. That said, thanks for your informative videos, but take your time in getting some out if you need to, I am sure we can understand your situation. Family, friends, and community first!

Hiked the Marble Mountains/Trinity Alps and norther Yosemite back in the '60's with homemade denim hammocks with a tarp slung over them. Heavy but comfy. Currently using Zpack Triplex which I love! Wow your videos are outstanding Dixie. Thorough, entertaining, and spot on!

Love your shelter analytics. Thanks for sharing. I like my space in my tent :-)

Hammock suggestion: Warbonnet Blackbird. Has everything you could ask for in a hammock. I’ve taken it on a couple trips and love it. The “shelf” on the side is indispensable for a backpacking hammock in my opinion.

Check out Dutchware hammocks, tarps, and connecting gear. Make it easy to set up.

Good to see you, knew the Tornadoes were close to home for you. Glad you are safe.

Thanks for all your videos! I've been backpacking a few times around Missouri and use a hammock. I'm exploring ground options and really appreciate all of your comparisons!

I am a hammock kind of guy, and something i would suggest is to ALWAYS have an under quilt. That is the most important bit. And know the weather before you go and make shure that if there is rain bring a tarp. One thing that i like is a bug net for my hammock.

Check out Dream Hammock, Hammock Gear, and Dutchware Gear, three of my favorite cottage vendors. Great video!

This was sooooo informative. Ive been camping for years but the explanation in this was so helpful. Thanks for taking the time to film this 🙏🙏🙏

Thanks for your video Jess! I love them. Extremely informative! Especially one's like this. Happy trails!

I love my hammock. Last time I went out backpacking it started to rain and once I got my rain fly up first I set everything else up under the fly and out of the rain. It was also nice in the morning having my cup of coffee and breakfast while staying warm in my hammock.

Like you, I tried one of the cheap hammock setups (last year). It seemed good at first. But after a few hours I was very uncomfortable. This year I got a Warbonnet Ridgerunner hammock. It is light years better than the cheap setup.

I'm a new hiker and I am leaning toward hammock camping. I've been watching Shugemery and also picked up "The Ultimate Hang v2" and am reading it now. So many options on gear it's mind blowing!

Jessica, good presentation as usual! Here's hoping you and yours fared well and were safe from the tornado activity over the weekend.

I am one of those old, decrepit hikers who gave up ground dwelling when it became too uncomfortable. As for good information, you may want to join the community over at www.hammockforums.net. You can literally spend days finding answers to your questions. FWIW, my hammock rig is 1.4 pounds heavier than my ground kit. PS Love your channel! You are one of those who give hope to some of us that we may one day do a triple crown!!

Love your accent. Reminds me of watching the Dukes of Hazzard!

I was considering using my hammock and getting a tarp, but going through storage in our place I found an almost new 2 person MEC backpacking tent. As someone who has never done backpacking or thru hiking but really wants to, it was like a sign from the universe to get out there. Just waiting for it to warm up. Love your channel. You’re an inspiration.

Thank you SO MUCH for your awesome videos Dixie! I’m hoping to start my hike soon and am so grateful for your help! You’re such an amazing person and I wish you could be with me! 😋💕

You got some hard core southern twang when you say nice.

Honestly, I like and use all 3 options. Just depends on the length of the hike, weather, etc.

My wife and I really enjoy your videos. I had a bad motorcycle accident and so a tent just sucks for my hips. I love the Hammock Bliss Sky Bed. It's an asymmetrical design that has a sleeve for you to slide your sleeping pad into. Doesn't slip and I've kept very warm down to freezing temps without anything else under me. Big shout out to The Ultimate Hang and Shug's videos. Also, ProfessorHammock has great videos for all of the people that just want to totally get deep into the hammock lifestyle. Thanks again! And for sure (guys), designate yourself a pee bottle for when you just don't want to get out of your shelter at night. Best advice I ever received.

Happy new year Dixie! I've seen heaps of ur vids in recent years - good luck out there.

The hammocks I would suggest Warbonnet Blackbird XLC or the Hennessy Deep Jungle zip. The Warbonnet has a shelf to the side of that is so convenient. The Warbonnet can ether used with feet left or right. Some people like small light tarps. I like bigger tarps fro DD hammocks 4m by 4m. If You have poles or sticks you can set up your hammock on the ground. Your going want something to protect the hammock from damage.

Excited to hear about you reconsidering hammocks😀

I’ve been hammock camping for years, and it’s the best sleep that I’ve had in the woods. I use a Skeeter Beeter Pro and a sil nylon tarp. Works great for me.

Hope you and your family are doing alright with all the tornadoes down your way!

Hi Dixie! You might wish to check out Dutchware Gear. Their Chameleon hammock is quite nice, and they have other good hammocks as well. Thanks for sharing! :-)

Dixie this is one of the most comprehensive videos I've seen on the subject matter. I've been camping and canoe trekking for 40 years and thought I've seen (and tried it all). I found myself agreeing with you on pretty much all of your points. Canoe trekking is a bit more weight luxurious compared to backpacking, but like yourself I've settled on single wall cuben fiber (now apparently called Dyneema) tent from a custom tent maker. Our first one was a 4 person pyramid style tent that lasted 6 years but was more of a tarp shelter as it was floorless. We just upgraded to one with a floor and mesh front and back doors plus mesh linking floor and sides to alleviate the condensation issue you mentioned. The Ants finally got to us on our last trip up in Wabakimi Park in northwestern Ontario. One night my wife and I both woke up at the same time, both of us slapping our head with our hand and trying to dig out ant from our ear who decided to forage in the wrong place. We both muttered in harmony, NEXT YEAR WE'RE GETTING A FLOOR!. I liked how you showed that you can use rock cairns on non-spike able grounds with non freestanding tents. This was one of our biggest concern when going to a non-free standing tent. The good news is that when there isn't soil around, rocks are usually plentiful. Sometimes we will fill a couple of stuff sacks with smaller rocks for key tension points and use that as an anchor and load larger rocks on top of it when we think the wind conditions are bad. You can also tie directly to stumps and samplings if you don't mind a less tight set up. I hammock camped for two years and enjoyed it. Thought I'd never go back until the inflatable air mattresses came out (and my wife started tagging along on my trips). Those neoair mattresses give so much more comfort compared to the old foam/partial inflatable thermarests, are lighter in weight and have great r-values. When I went back to ground, there was no more looking up. Thanks again for putting out such great content. Newly subscribed! Ken

My experience with tarps and why I went back to a tent. 1. Bugs have unrestricted access to you while under a tarp unless you bring a mosquito net which adds back the weight you saved with the tarp. 2. If it is raining when you get to camp, you will be setting a tarp over wet ground. Most tents will be dry inside even on wet ground. 3. Fear of snakes. While a snake would never crawl under a tarp with you, a tent makes one feel safer from this (unreasonable fear), thereby sleeping better. On hammocks: The issue is no insulation underneath, or having to pack in the insulation which adds weight to your pack. Thank you for this channel and all your videos. You are an inspiration! Paul

Dream Hammock is the best, very customizable and hand made n Ohio. I have 4 of there hammocks and love them.

I love my hammock. I love the feeling of the air moving around me. Tents feel too "stuffy" to me now. Hammocks definitely take some getting accustomed to, though. My first set up was around four pounds. This season, I used the Kammok Mantis UL: the whole rig is two pounds. The trade-off for an UL hammock is that they're more likely to fail. Mine did after a half-dozen uses. Kammok sent me a replacement (they stand behind their lifetime warranty so long as you haven't abused the gear), but had I been out on the trail I'd have been sleeping on the ground. I'm a side sleeper, and my most recent trip was the first time I was able to lie diagonally on my side & sleep. Even when I've had to sleep on my back, I've slept better than I would have on the ground. (I used to be able to sleep on the ground on a Zrest pad. No longer -- I very little sleep & I can barely move the next morning.) I just did the Washington Section J of the PCT. It rained almost every night. I use down underquilt & a Zenbivy. I was warm & dry the entire time. An advantage of tarps is one can set the tarp up immediately once in camp & work/eat/relax under it. I lie a sheet of Tyvek on the ground & keep all my gear (except for food) underneath my hammock. You should hang your hammock so you're relatively close to the ground; if it's hung properly, it's easy to reach all of your gear. I had a couple of short days in that were kind of miserable. I found I can sit up in my hammock (although this requires fairly good core strength). It was really far more a comfortable shelter than most people think. Privacy is less of an issue than one might think. First, I've frequently set up my hammock a ways off the trail, in the trees, where I'm not visible from the trail or practically invisible unless I draw attention to myself. Second, one can set up their tarp for maximum privacy. If there aren't two trees of appropriate size & distance apart, I can set the whole rig up as a bivy. This is the kind of thing one should practice at home ahead of time, and ideally plan for what you'd do on a slab of rock.

Your videos are always so informative! Thank you for the great advice.

Thank you for a very informative video! Leaning towards a hammock system 🤔

Just ordered my Duplex and can't wait for it to arrive. Lightweight tents are the way to go imo.

Hammocks! Like Shug would say WhooooBuddy))))

I just took my 3 oldest boys each on his own camping trip. My oldest and I backpacked 2 miles and hammocked there. That was, by far, the most comfortable sleep of the 3 trips! Despite the insane thunderstorm, the hammock trip was cooler and generally more comfortable than the tent trips. This was our FIRST backpacking overnight, but we knew enough to bring tarps, lol

Just subscribed. Your videos are great! The way you present the material is excellent, engaging and put in logical sequence. Thank you!

Poncho tarp just sounds like cutting it very very close. I wouldn't want to wear my shelter gear as I'm hiking around..its very likely you could damage it while hiking, esp if its brushy or rocky. When you use multipurpose gear you have to make sure you don't need both functions at once, too....how can you set up a tarp if you are wearing it as raingear?

There is a great channel about Hammac camping. Called, shugemery, here on youtube. Very informative and intertaining!

I like the dual use of th ecompactor bag at 18:13. Thanks again Dixie!!! 🙂

Thanks Dixie for all that insight. I think for my first time I will go with the tried and true free standing tent.

I've always wanted to try a hammock but being a stomach/side sleeper with a bad lower back, I just don't think it's in the cards haha.

When tarping, dig a shallow trench all the way around. This keeps most moderate rain from running back in and prevents a lot of back splash.

I'm fairly new to all this. I came across your channel about 30 minutes ago and I've decided you definitely know what your talking about so I've subscribed. I'd feel nice and safe camping with you and your knowledge. Thank you for your help Dixie and happy camping to you 🙂

Hey Dixie, hope you fared well through the storms. Prayers for all the folks in Alabama.

You need to see an Australian swag

Long time hammock hanger here. While no system is perfect, I will stick with my hammock setup. You need to find and attend a group hammock hang before you go out and buy anything, You can find group hangs in your area at Hammockforums.net under outings.

Tarps are soo light and once you get the hang of it you can set them up super fast, which is great if the weather turns bad suddenly. Also, you can get an additional component to add door vestibules to make it private and to block out wind.

Wow this was sooo helpful can’t wait to get out on the trails a TON this summer!

I swear my lightweight, reasonably durable tarp from Harbor Freight $3.50 is doing just fine for me, I don't want your $600.00 Z Duplex. That said I'm not a long distance Thru hiker, I could see maybe a 2 week section hike. I just bought some Atwood Rope Mfg " Micro Cord " for ultralight ridges and guy lines, for longer trips I think I would stick with paracord .

"Yeah man I love camping too. My family's got an RV derrrr."

Thanks, Dixie! Great info here! Learning a lot!

Thanks for all of Your detailed informative Videos!! They are are really appreciated especially for a Female that hikes alone often & is always on the look out for tips. You Rock!! ❤️

Actually, if you know how to use a tarp it will provide better protection from weather than a tent.

20 mins about tent to 2 mins for hammock!!!!! Hammocks deserves more time they are awesome you just need to get used to it Also I am exaggerating

Great video, good coverage of the options, pros and cons. I started out with single-skin A-frame tents (back before they had all the dual-skin options) with tent poles and groundsheets. During rain, water runs along the ground, over the top of the groundsheet and into your sleeping bag unless you spend time digging a rain channel around your tent (so much for "leave no trace camping"). Between rain and/or condensation, you tend to get soaked. Moved to dual skin tents with waterproof bottoms and built-in bug screens and they definitely had some advantages but their own set of disadvantages: more weight/bulk, the problems when setting up in the rain. I tend to like 2-3 person tents (I've got a single person tent and you spend most of the night snuggling up to wet trail clothes and backpack) to give plenty of room to fit gear and find a place to sleep. Inflatable down-filled mat is definitely worth the expense as it stops the ground from robbing you of heat and provides a better night's sleep than the ground or a closed-cell foam mat. Mine's rated at -12 degrees Celsius and effectively turns my 3-season sleeping bag into a 4-season bag. But, at the end of the day (or the beginning of it), you're crawling on your hands and knees through who-knows-what to get into and out of your tent and (in the areas I go camping) it's often difficult to find a clear flat area big enough to pitch a tent - so I'm now transitioning to hammock camping. I haven't taken my hammock out into the wild, yet, as I'm still experimenting with it, getting experience in getting the hang right and making sure I've got everything working to my liking before attempting hammock camping under uncontrolled conditions. I've experimented with it in the back yard and taken it to a camping ground where I could set it up but have the car parked nearby to hold my gear should I need it. It's definitely nice being able to set up a ridgeline and tarp that you can *walk* underneath and it's nice being up off the ground. It doesn't work well with my rectangular down-filled inflatable mat, so I'm going to try an underquilt next time (fortunately the night was warm enough that I was able to throw the mat into the car and do without having insulation beneath me). It rained at night when I tested it out but the tarp kept the rain off and there were no condensation problems, either. Still early days/experimental phase of hammock camping for me, still have to sort out underquilt, gear storage options, possibly some whoopie slings for fine-tuning the hang, proper tarp (I used a cheap one for the experiment), and any other matters that arise over the course of my experimentation. As to hammocks vs tents, I think they *both* have their place. If I were going somewhere I know has lots of trees, I'd take the hammock, especially if I knew there were very few flat clear areas large enough to accommodate a tent. If I'm going somewhere with few trees and lots of flat areas, I'd take a tent. If weight were not an issue (e.g. motorcycle touring), I'd take both so I've got all contingencies covered, no matter where I stop for the night.

this was a question I had so I am glad you did a video on this topic, tent vs tarp. tarps are so light that I needed to know if I could make this work.